EYE ON THE STORMhttp://www.eyeonthestorm.ca
Sun, 13 Jan 2019 17:09:02 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.4CROSSING AFRICA: Mario Rigby’s Journeyhttp://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/news/crossing-africa-mario-rigbys-journey/
http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/news/crossing-africa-mario-rigbys-journey/#commentsWed, 21 Nov 2018 15:27:38 +0000http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/?p=2179What would you do if money was not an object, if family and friends were not an influence? That was one of the many questions that J. Clarke Richardson students contemplated on October 27 during Mario Rigby’s presentation at our school.

Who is Mario Rigby? He is one man who decided to trek across Africa by foot and kayak in 2015, a journey that took more than two years to complete. During his talk, he spoke about his travels through the continent and the way that this trip changed him and his mindset.

Mario Rigby was a normal guy who wanted to have a sense of purpose. As he described, his decision to go to Africa was very sudden but his trip was not spontaneous. He worked hard for 9 months in preparation. In his speech, he described the rigorous training that he underwent. He also spoke about the support that he received from his mother. Her first words to her son after hearing about the trip were, “If you ever break your legs, get hit by a car, someone shoots you, and you arm has gone missing, make sure that you become the first human being on the planet to go across Africa on a wheelchair.”

What makes someone to do this? Rigby says that he was excited by the idea of new experiences. He kept himself motivated by walking to simple goals and through the excitement of constant change. He also admits to not knowing anything and being a “city boy”. He went on camping trips with his friends, and he spoke fondly about practicing pitching his tent so he could become the fastest. He talked about learning the basics of the local languages. At some point, Rigby says, “Work doesn’t feel like work”.

Rigby continually tested himself as he prepared, and driven by curiosity, he decided to walk for 14 hours a day. He walked all the way to Toronto. Then he walked from Toronto to Montreal. He took his goal seriously and continued practicing until he knew that he could achieve it.

One of the many pieces of advice he had for J. Clarke Richardson students was that they had to make the approach and “go for it.”. He also spoke about doing what you want to do, and gave advice on taking the first step to your goal. Rigby sold most of his possessions in order to be able to pay for the trip. He also credits Youtube for teaching him many of the skills he needed like building a fire.

As he spoke about his trip, he recounted his experiences with ‘relative poverty.’ He also described how in many parts of Africa, people thought that they were living rich. The minimalistic lifestyle in Africa was a stark contrast to the abundance of materials in Canada. According to his experiences, African people are some of the most hospitable people he has ever met and the poverty that we see is greatly exaggerated. As Mario mentions, our privilege is that we believe that we can change our situations.

Rigby brought up another interesting point when he spoke about racism. He observed that xenophobia, an irrational dislike or fear of people from other countries, was something that he encountered. It was also assumed that he was there to “steal jobs” and that he was stupid.

All in all, Rigby says that there was main ways in which this journey has changed him for the better. This included looking at the bigger picture in life. Rigby mentions that he was not afraid to die because he did not value his life. As he encountered more and more near-death experiences, his perspective changed. Now, he says he is not afraid to die because he knows that he has a purpose and that he is part of a bigger picture. This was something that he really reflected on after being stuck in a conflict zone in Mozambique and almost being shot. Not only was he in danger in the conflict zones, but he also learned about the elephants and people who were casualties of the gunfire.

Overall, the presentation was a testament to the importance of perseverance, and to taking initiative, even when the odds are stacked against you. Mario Rigby became the person to walk across Africa, how will you make your mark?

]]>http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/news/crossing-africa-mario-rigbys-journey/feed/0Halloween and Cultural Appropriationhttp://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/artsandentertainment/halloween-and-cultural-appropriation-what-not-to-do/
http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/artsandentertainment/halloween-and-cultural-appropriation-what-not-to-do/#commentsWed, 31 Oct 2018 10:20:12 +0000http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/?p=2071Now that October 3lst has arrived, many of us are rushing to get our costumes ready. Halloween is definitely one of my favourite times of the year. After all, who doesn’t like dressing up and free candy? Although it is finally spooky season, it is important to stay safe and also respectful with the costumes you choose.

What is cultural appropriation? It is a particular power dynamic in which members of a dominant culture take elements from a culture of people who have been systematically oppressed by that dominant group. In simpler terms, it is taking aspects of a culture that is not your own in a way that shows no understanding or appreciation to the culture.

One of the most common items that is culturally appropriated is First Nation headdresses. Variations of these are used in fashion shows, in festivals, and Halloween costumes. First Nations have historically been oppressed and while Canada is working towards reconciliation, it is most definitely not okay to wear a First Nation headdress if you do not identify as a member of the First Nations peoples.

Chief Isadore Day Wiindawtegowinini of Serpent River says, “When you’re given a headdress, there’s a responsibility that comes with that, and often those responsibilities are a direct tie and connection to who you are, your identity, your place within the context of nationhood.”

Furthermore, it is also not a good idea to dress up as anything related to Día de los Muertos, which is a Mexican holiday. It is celebrated on November 2nd this year, and honors family and friends who have passed away.

Halloween is a great time to dress up and enjoy yourself but having a little discretion makes it easier for everyone to have fun.

]]>http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/artsandentertainment/halloween-and-cultural-appropriation-what-not-to-do/feed/0An Interview With Our New Principalhttp://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/news/an-interview-with-our-new-principal/
http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/news/an-interview-with-our-new-principal/#commentsWed, 24 Oct 2018 13:52:29 +0000http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/?p=2048On October 18th, Eye On The Storm interviewed J. Clarke Richardson’s new principal, Mr. Maharaj. Mr. Maharaj, our school’s fourth principal since opening in 2001, gave us a more in-depth look at his life and his new job.

How long have you been working for the Durham District School Board?

I think I started in 1999 as a teacher. So, I guess that’s 20 years…actually you know what, 1998 is when I started.

Were you always interested in working in education?

No, I think I came by education just by a habit. When I was younger, I used to have summer jobs working with young people in camps and things like that. And initially, when I went to university, my plan was to become a doctor, but that changed into becoming a chiropractor. Then I didn’t get in when I first graduated, but I applied to teacher’s college as a backup plan. That’s how I ended up in education and I really enjoy being an educator.

How did you become the principal for this school?

Well, after being a teacher for quite a while, I became a vice principal. I was a vice principal for Pine Ridge, Dunbarton and Eastdale for a little bit. Then I became the principal for Eastdale and I was the principal there for the last three years. Eventually, [the DDSB] asked me if I was interested in coming to J Clarke because it was a bigger school and more in the area I worked in.

What is your vision for the school?

Wow, that’s a big question! To me, I want to see our school be a place where students come and fulfill their potential and pursue their own personal excellence. That looks different for every person, but I really want to encourage the students to not settle to just get by, do the best that they can do so, when they leave for college, university, the world of work or into a trade, they are very prepared. Also, that they realize what pathway they’re on early in their high school career so they can work towards all that.

What does your average workday look like at the school?

I probably get here around 7:40-7:45. I usually check my messages, I probably in a day get 100 emails so it takes me a long time to get through them all. Then I check my phone messages, talk with the secretaries and vice principals. Once the bell goes, I’m out in the hallways helping supervise and often between all that, I’ve got to meet with parents, teachers, students, and vice principals. I often go to meetings, I do a lot of meetings outside of the buildings as well as inside the building. I try to manage the day that way. When the school day ends, I’m usually here till 4:30-5:00 trying to get things organized for the following day.

What do you do for free time on weekends?

That doesn’t exist, I am a parent. Because I’m a parent, my kids’ schedules come first and mine will come second. Usually, I am driving them to games and practices. I do help out in coaching my daughter’s basketball team. I also referee basketball and I try to get in as many games as I can. When I’m not doing any of that, I like to spend time with my friends.

Do you have any hobbies?

I wouldn’t say I have a hobby per say. I think there are things I like doing. As I said, I enjoy officiating basketball, up until this year I was a head coach for a basketball team. I’m taking a step back now and not doing that. I try to keep up with my family life.

Is there anything else you want students to know?

I am a die-hard Toronto Raptors fan. I’m a season ticket holder and go to a lot of games.

]]>http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/news/an-interview-with-our-new-principal/feed/0BOOK REVIEW: “Starfish” by Akemi Dawn Bowmanhttp://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/artsandentertainment/book-review-starfish-by-akemi-dawn-bowman/
http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/artsandentertainment/book-review-starfish-by-akemi-dawn-bowman/#commentsWed, 10 Oct 2018 01:22:07 +0000http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/?p=1971Starfish is the unique story-telling of Kiko Himura, a seventeen-year-old girl with social anxiety disorder. Ridden with memories of sexual abuse, low self-esteem and guilt, she confides in art as a way to escape and portray the emotions she has trouble articulating verbally. Kiko believes she will be able to get away from her problems through Prism, the art school she’s been dreaming of attending since the beginning of her high school career. When she isn’t accepted, Kiko must devise a new plan to mend her life back together again — even if it means putting herself out there.

One of my favorite features of the novel was the design of the main antagonist: Kiko’s mother. Kiko’s mom is a narcissist who isn’t pleased with herself until everyone else is behind her. She targets her daughter as a way to get this gratification. Not only that, but she doesn’t believe that Kiko was sexually abused by her uncle, simply telling her that she either imagined it, dreamed it, or misunderstood something. This infuriated me. I’m impressed that Bowman was able to stir such strong emotions in her readers as it’s not that easy to do so. Kiko’s mother was a complex villain who could fool you into thinking that she was trying to change until she does something vile again. In some moments it was even heart-breaking to read as a mother endlessly tears her child apart piece by piece.

The rawness of Bowman’s writing was excellent when describing Kiko’s anxiety. She didn’t try to romanticize mental illness as mainstream media tends to do in this generation. Kiko’s disorder was told how it is: ugly and perpetual. The “WHAT I WANT TO SAY:” and “WHAT I ACTUALLY SAY:” parts in Kiko’s thoughts were clever and ridiculously accurate.

Identity was a reoccurring theme in this novel. Kiko is half Japanese which is something she was taught to hate about herself in the beginning. As a minority, I could relate to this so much. The media usually only advertises one type of beauty, which is what’s shoved into our brains and makes us believe that is the only definition of beauty. It makes us hate ourselves and wish we had some sort of switch to flip that could make us “pretty.” It makes us feel small. Society is starting to be more inclusive, but we still have a long way to go. I was glad Bowman could voice her opinion through my favourite character in the book, Hiroshi Matsumoto:

“Beauty isn’t a single thing. Beauty is dreaming – it’s different for everyone, and there are so many versions of it that you mostly have no control over how you see it.”

Kiko’s relationship with her two brothers, Shoji and Taro, may not seem significant at first but I was stunned at how much it actually was. The three of them are generally distant from each other, living like independent soldiers under the attack of their mother. As I previously mentioned, Kiko is targeted the most. Shoji has his confidence as a defense which leaves him generally untouched. Taro owns a loud sense of humor which allows him to not take things too seriously. Kiko has her dreams. They give her endurance. Sadly, none of the three are the whole package. This was a brilliant way to portray family and teamwork.

Jamie’s character had a significant role in Kiko’s journey. He was her best friend and her main source of support. He made her happy. Except, there is something very important to know about anxiety disorders. If someone like this were to solely depend on a single person, it can be extremely damaging to both people. There comes a point when a person cannot always be there for support. It’s similar to using a crutch. A crutch prevents you from having to use what is weak. After a time, the crutch will also become weak and break. Not only this, but the other person will be no stronger than when they first started using the crutch. Kiko had to learn this lesson the hard way in order to grow. I appreciated that Bowman was truthful about the dangers of these types of relationships.

I would recommend this book to any young person with a dream. Although it will probably tear your heart out, there are messages within the novel that may change your way of thinking. If there’s one thing I took away from reading this, it’s that accepting yourself, everything about yourself, is the first step to self-improvement and reaching your dreams. You need to forgive yourself and start living with more meaning than to just beat yourself up over your mistakes. It won’t be an easy process, but it’s possible. It saddens me that there are teenagers younger than me who are much too hard on themselves. Self-discipline and constantly chastising yourself are two different things. There is so much growth and maturity in learning the difference between them. I would definitely read Starfish again as well as her new novel that will be released September 11, 2018.

]]>http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/news/terry-fox-2018/feed/0Tornadoes hit Ottawa–Gatineau area; thousands affectedhttp://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/news/tornadoes-hit-ottawa-gatineau-area-thousands-affected/
http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/news/tornadoes-hit-ottawa-gatineau-area-thousands-affected/#commentsWed, 03 Oct 2018 15:29:44 +0000http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/?p=2008On Friday, September 21, two tornadoes ripped through Ottawa leaving heaps of damage. The first one is said to be a category EF-3, with winds topping more than 200 km/h in some areas. This EF-3 tornado primarily went through Dunrobin, Ont. and Gatineau, Que. The second twister, an EF-2, ripped through neighbourhoods in Nepean. Currently, there are 30 known injuries with five people suffering critical injuries from Dunrobin.

These deadly tornadoes caused an immense amount of damage. Initially, the storms severe damage to power lines and a transformer station caused over 100,000 people left without power but as of Sunday, it has reportedly been reduced to fewer than 70,000-80,000 in the Ottawa area and 8,300 in the Gatineau area. Dozens of homes, as well as stores, have been completely destroyed and there is yet to be an estimate of the total cost to restore all if this.

One of many Ottawa neighbourhoods that have been ripped apart by the tornadoes.

The two provinces have made considerable efforts in relief. Ontario’s government activated the province’s Disaster Recovery Assistance program in its affected areas and the Quebec government has given about $1 million to the Red Cross. The aftermath of these storms is unimaginable but unfortunately is the reality of many Canadians.

]]>http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/news/tornadoes-hit-ottawa-gatineau-area-thousands-affected/feed/0One Small Step For Man or One Big Lie?http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/lifeandstyle/one-small-step-for-man-or-one-big-lie/
http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/lifeandstyle/one-small-step-for-man-or-one-big-lie/#commentsWed, 03 Oct 2018 15:29:11 +0000http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/?p=2002“One small step for man” (First Moon Landing 1969): those five words made Americans so proud in July 1969, as they watched Neil Armstrong walk on the moon. They had finally beaten the Soviets at something in the space race and the moon was the biggest prize of all! Butfor those who have closely examined the technology and the videos and photos, it becomes clear that we are just victims of an elaborate hoax.

American officials had to have had an immense motive to attempt to deceive the whole world by faking the moon landing, and they did. The U.S. and the Soviet Union were in the midst of the Cold War. In the last 50 years the U.S. had fought in two World Wars and there was great fear that they may soon enter a war with the USSR in the atomic age. Both countries were competing in a space race, which the Americans were losing. In 1957, the Soviets sent the first satellite to space and in the same year, the first living creature, a dog. On April 12, 1961, to the despair of the Americans, the Soviets were first to send a human to space. As a result, on May 25, 1961 the president of the United States, John F. Kennedy said, “First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth” (May 25, 1961: JFK’s Moon Shot Speech to Congress). The Soviets were also working on a moon project, but did so quietly incase they failed. Coincidently, the Americans landed on the moon on July 20, 1969, shortly before JFK’s end of the decade deadline. During the entire Space Race, America and the Soviet Union was neck and neck but the Soviet Union was never able to reach the moon manned or unmanned. The Americans landed on the moon 6 times until December 14, 1972 when NASA announced it was canceling the next three Apollo missions. Intriguingly, this was done immediately after the Soviets said that they had the technology to track deep space travel.

The 1960s was regarded as a time of technological discoveries. Some of the inventions of the 1960s include, the audio cassette, the lava lamp, easy bake oven, hand held calculator, the single-chip microprocessor and home smoke detector (60s inventions). By comparing these to the 1960s invention of a manned spaceship capable of landing on the moon and returning, shows that it is outrageously out of place. It was not until the 1980s that far less complicated technology such as personal computers and cell phones were invented. That the lunar landing supposedly happened, at the time of the great hand held calculator invention, is too unrealistic to be believed.

Many have admired that photos of the astronaut’s footprints clearly visible on the moon’s surface or the wheel tracks of the moon rover, showing man’s presence there. The astronauts compared the moon dust to “talcum powder or wet sand” (Who Morns for Apollo?). However, shockingly there are no blast craters or even holes under the lunar module. The module required 3000 lbs. of engine thrust to slow it’s decent to softly land on the moon (Apollo missions) . Similarly, it required the thrusters force to take off from the moon and yet at neither time did the engines send dust, rocks and sand flying. Photos of the landing site show the lander on its footings with the ground below it undisturbed, but with astronaut footprints all around.

Examination of the photos provides additional evidence of the moon landing hoax. On the moon the only light source is the sun, meaning that all the shadows would be in one direction. In several of NASA’s pictures of the moon landings there are competing shadows. For example, in one photo (Competing Shadows In The moon Landing Photos) you can see a shadow of an astronaut and a shadow of equipment but the astronaut’s shadow leans right, while the equipment’s shadow leans left, but how could this be, unless there was artificial lights being used. There are also photos, supposedly taken miles apart, with identical backgrounds and rocks in the same place suggesting that the same backdrop was used for various photos.

Shockingly, it is the statements of some NASA astronauts that provide strong evidence to support the theory of a faked moon landing. Many people have questioned the absence of stars in the background of moon landing photos. NASA has explained that they did not have the correct setting on the camera to capture the stars (Why Aren’t There Stars In The Moon Landing Photos) but in an interview in 1970 Neil Armstrong stated that “the sky is a deep black when viewed from the moon” (Sir Patrick Moore interviews Neil Armstrong). Yet in 2014, Mike Massimino, NASA space shuttle astronaut, commented “pretty much all the time, you can see the stars” (ISS Mailbag Episode 2 – Part 3). His comment contradicts Neil Armstrong’s statement entirely. NASA astronaut Don Pettit, who has had long stays on the International Space Station, said in 2017, “I’d go to the moon in a nanosecond, the problem is we don’t have that technology anymore.” Where did the technology go? It’s been almost 50 years since the “moon landing” so how do we have less technology? A return to the moon should be much easier now as we could use some of the STEM information from the previous moon landings. However in 2015, Terry Virts, a NASA Space Shuttle pilot said “right now we can only fly in Earth orbit, that is the farthest that we can go. This new system that we are building is going to allow us to go beyond and hopefully take humans into the solar system to explore, so the Moon, Mars, asteroids.” If we can not fly out of Earth’s orbit then how, in 1969 did we go to the moon?

The Google Lunar $30 million X Prize, which challenged teams to land a robotic spacecraft on the moon, move it 500 meters and send photos and videos back to earth, was announced in 2007. The five finalists were privately funded teams from Florida, Japan, Israel, India and an international team. Some had considerable funding as they planned to exploit lunar resources. The deadline was originally set for the end of 2012, but X Prize pushed it back repeatedly as teams needed more time. Prize X Founder, Peter Diamandis announced on January 23, 2018 that “after close consultation with our five finalist, we have concluded that no team will make a launch attempt to reach the moon by the March 31, 2018, deadline,” (Xprize Moon Race Ends). So the moon race ended with no winner. In the 21 century, several teams had more than 10 years to devise an unmanned spacecraft that could land on the moon, move and project images and not one was capable of doing this, even with a huge cash incentive. Yet, incredibly, we are to believe that in the 1960s, in less than 10 years, scientists developed the technology to land men on the moon, travel miles, while broadcasting live and returned them safely to earth.

The moon is something we see everyday when the day gets dark and the stars shine. In spite of seeing this beautiful site everyday we want more, we want to go to it. The American government put so much pressure on itself to do the impossible, so much pressure that they had to reach their goal, because their goal was now their country’s goal. When they realized that they didn’t have the technology to achieve a moon landing, they refused to admit they had failed. Instead, they carefully scripted a live performance to amaze the world, but not carefully enough.

]]>http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/lifeandstyle/one-small-step-for-man-or-one-big-lie/feed/0Our New-Look Cafeteriahttp://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/news/student-opinion-cafeteria/
http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/news/student-opinion-cafeteria/#commentsWed, 06 Dec 2017 01:46:53 +0000http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/?p=1913The school year of 2017-18 has brought a few drastic changes to J. Clarke Richardson Collegiate, but none are as dramatic as the fully transformed cafeteria that greeted students in September.

The familiar kiosks were all closed while a side room was under construction. However, this side room was soon revealed to be the new café that would be serving students lunches from now on.

Traditionally, the lunches have been mainly prepared and served by our school’s hospitality students. They would volunteer lunch time to do this and spent classes doing prep work such as packing salads and making wraps. J. Clarke Richardson decided to halt this practise.

Here is where the new cafeteria ‘café’ comes in. This new café is run by a catering service and serves a variety of menu items including, fries, poutine, soups, and a special of the day.

Pretty standard.

But it seems as if the students don’t find this new arrangement quite so agreeable as a recent sample survey indicated

Of the students surveyed, only 8.1% stated that they enjoyed the cafeteria food. The remaining 91.9% of students either did not like the food offered or found it ‘Meh.’ These numbers clearly indicate that something is wrong with this new system. It isn’t providing the school community with food that the students like.

As a result, a high percentage of students do not purchase food from the café and may not be getting proper nourishment. Over 30% of students surveyed stated that they may just eat nothing for lunch.

So what do the students have to say? (as well as some teachers, don’t worry we got you too)

There is one major complaint: price.

Sixty per cent of students surveyed indicated that the food is just too expensive and they simply cannot afford to purchase lunch on multiple days per week. For most non-working students, the amount of money required to buy a full meal every day is impossible.

Another popular issue being brought up is the lack of menu options. Many students have commented on the limited choices available for both vegetarians and there are virtually no Halal options.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t feel like eating a chicken burger every day,” one Muslim student told me when I asked why she didn’t purchase her lunches at the cafeteria. She mentioned that in the past, there had been many more options that she could choose from.

Another complaint focused on the line that seems to stretch for miles. The wait is simply too long for most students. The already short lunch is cut even shorter due to the long wait. It doesn’t seem like the fairest trade off.

Of students who do purchase lunch on a regular basis, the leading reason as to why is its convenience. It makes sense, considering our previously 50-minute break has been cut to just 40 minutes. The feat of being able to get to Tims (without a car) and back seems quite commendable and heroic.

So what does our new café have going for it?

It’s appearance. People seem to really enjoy the more shop-like demeanor it has.

In conclusion, the school body is dissatisfied with the new cafeteria as a whole. This widespread dissatisfaction is one that should be addressed.

And the most popular: “Bring the old caf back!” From all grades (except 9 for obvious reasons).

It is unclear how these problems may be resolved, but it is evident that changes should be made. As students, we have the right to be heard and this is what we are saying.

]]>http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/news/student-opinion-cafeteria/feed/0What To Get Your Loved Ones For The Holidayshttp://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/lifeandstyle/what-to-get-your-loved-ones-for-the-holidays/
http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/lifeandstyle/what-to-get-your-loved-ones-for-the-holidays/#commentsWed, 29 Nov 2017 13:56:27 +0000http://www.eyeonthestorm.ca/?p=1885With the Holidays just around the corner, you might be a little stressed preparing presents for your friends and family. Not only is it difficult to decide what to get others, but it can also be quite expensive. Allow me to lighten the load with a few gift ideas and possibly some inspiration.

What To Get A Mother:

Perfume set

Personalized jewelry

Designer purse

Personalized picture frame

What To Get A Father:

Wallet

Cologne set

Personalized coffee mug

Family calendar

What To Get A Sibling:

Cozy Blanket

Video game

Movie tickets

Family friendly board game

What To Get A Friend:

Sweatshirt

Gift card to favourite store

Olympic team mittens

Friendship jewelry

What To Get A Girlfriend:

Pandora charm

Manicure/Pedicure certificate

Birthstone jewelry

Concert/Event tickets

What To Get A Boyfriend:

Sunglasses

Watch

Baseball hat/snapback

Shoes

Keep in mind the lists above are not restrictive and many of the items are gender neutral. Also, as nice as it may be to get a new Coach purse or a Michael Kors watch, homemade presents are a great alternative and a way to save money. Not only can it be cost effective if done right but it will be greatly appreciated by the person accepting it. A box of smaller things that someone enjoys (hand written notes, candy, phone accessories etc.) can be the ultimate gift. Another way to change up your Holiday shopping is by doing Secret Santa. Whether this is done within your family or a group of friends, it can be fun and save some money by not shopping for everyone. That being said, Happy Holidays and good luck shopping!

Many great artists have either died very young or simply went crazy. Why? Speaking from a creative mind and some research, I may know one of the answers.

As an artist, no matter how good you may be, you are still trying to improve. Trying to push a creative flow that only releases a trickle. You think something is wrong with you or maybe you’ve lost your creativity. It may not seem like it, but an artistic mind is always at work. It depends on where that work takes place.

Looking at your work, you may not be happy with it, yet someone tells you it’s beautiful. You can’t seem to see what’s so great about the complete trash you just created so you start all over (you don’t wanna know how many shameful times I rewrote this).

I feel that as an artist, you are constantly trying to say something that hasn’t been said. Trying to create what doesn’t exist. So, when you come up with something, you realize just how mainstream you are being by doing what you are doing. You take out the eraser and there it goes.

You may feel like a waste.

Who will ever want to hear what I have to say?

Everything has already been said.

Why did I have to be born into the developed generation?

But, you keep doing it. Maybe you’ll give up. Maybe you don’t want to look at a blank slate ever again. Although, when an artist quits, their soul stays forever. Forever is a long time.

Take David Foster Wallace. He was an incredible writer who seemed to put his soul of fire into every letter he wrote. Tragically, he took his own life in 2008. From what I have learned, he suffered from depression. Yet, his work still thrives today.

Van Gogh had depression, bipolar disorder, episodes of derangement and perhaps more we couldn’t know of unless we looked into his mind. He committed suicide when he was very young, only 37. He produced fine art when he was alive, and is a role model of many artists everywhere even as a dead man.

Okay, so are artists psychopaths?

Perhaps. I don’t know and I’m one myself.

What I know is that artists see the world in unique ways.

But, if artists go through so much, why do they choose to sacrifice being sane to be creative?

Maybe because we love it.

Not being insane (though perhaps some do).

The fiery hope of finding inspiration. The thick sadness of not being able to be creative. Then finally being proud of what you do.

And ending your journey when you please.

Artists leave their mark and it lingers for eternity.

Just think about it. Giving up your soul to bless the world with your talent?

That’s loyal.

From what I can understand, the artist seems to lose themselves in their work and literally forget who they are. On the bright side, the world remembers who you are.